Pearce recall drive may use entire petition period

In this Feb. 10, 2011 file photo, Protestors gather around Arizona State Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, Arizona's immigration bill SB1070 author, outside the Sandra Day O'Connor Federal Courthouse in Phoenix. Protestors gathered to voice opposition to Gov. Jan Brewer's plan to counter sue the federal government for failing to enforce immigration laws. Illegal immigration fell to secondary status for lawmakers ? against the wishes of some ? a year after Arizona enacted its controversial law known as SB1070. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)

A leader of a recall campaign targeting Arizona Senate President Russell Pearce says the effort may use all the time possible to collect voter signatures prior to a May 31 deadline to submit petitions.

The campaign had said a week ago that it might submit petitions early in order to have the recall election scheduled for November instead of March.

Citizens for a Better Arizona co-founder Randy Parraz now says the group may need every day possible to make the drive a success.

Parraz says the group collected 600 additional signatures over the weekend.

The group needs to submit 7,756 voter signatures to force a recall of Pearce. It said May 10 it had 7,200 validated signatures but wanted to submit a sizable cushion above the minimum.